All Activity

Well, after a couple of weeks, I'd like to thank all of the people who responded to my query. Here's what I've gleaned from your many suggestions. (1) I shouldn't depend at all on the AC adapter that came with my F8n (part # AD-19). In my view, any AC adapter that doesn't have a 3-prong AC plug sticking out of it, with the ground lug connected to a metal case that shields the entire adapter, shouldn't be used on a filming set at all. Consider mine "ditched". (2) Evidently, Auray is shipping their cabled boompoles with coiled cables that are not properly shielded. At least, that's what I was told by a CSR at Gradus Group recently. (Gradus Group is the parent company of Auray Audio). I didn't mention in my first post, but I tested the internal cable with a CT-100 cable-tester. It revealed no continuity issues (Pin 1 in --> Pin 1 out, Pin 2 in -- Pin 2 out, etc). But that test doesn't reveal if pin 1 is actually the shield for the other two wires, as it should be. Comments? (3) I'm ready to purchase a decent pair of battery packs, a compatible charger for them, and the battery adapter that allows it to power the recorder (via the Hirose 4-pin female socket). B&H sent me two quotes, one for a Deity solution ($765) and another from a lesser brand for about $600. My recorder only cost me $900 plus tax. Can anyone give me specific brands & model no's that come in a bit less pricey? Also, the recorder accepts input values of 9 thru 18 volts. Would I be smart to shoot for 15V batteries, so that I could get longer runtimes out of them? If some of these questions I'm asking are too off-topic, I'd be happy to start a new thread....

A venn diagram does not allow for Good, Light, Stiff plywood to coexist. If you can weld aluminum sheet(!!!), why would you consider anything else?

What are your dimensions? Is there a reason you’re straying from aluminum pre-fab drawers (rack width or otherwise)? Wood will likely add more weight than you’ll ideally want, but as with anything, it depends on your use-case and tolerance for such things

In my experience they are pretty hardy with moisture, but I don’t own them so have only used them a few times.

I am finally at a stage designing my drawers on my 2 carts. I am having to decide what material. Should I use aluminum 2020 and aluminum composite or simplify by making them thin plywood, or weld aluminum sheet? Trying to keep it as light as possible.

Have you tried MKH50 MKH40 MKH8040?

Yup. Even the new models that are supposed to be improved are giving me trouble often, especially as we cross through the dew point every night. I end up on a Sanken CS3e a lot when it gets really wet, and keep a 416 in the van, but haven’t had to pull it out in many years. The CS3 is too long for what I’m doing on this movie, the Mini-CMIT is a miracle for hiding all over inside of moving vans, so I’m just dealing with the moisture as it happens.

Great notes, if you haven’t yet please share them with the Easy Rig people.

Well I did it! Sucessfully swapped to a CF drive. Next step- remote control. Remote control was possible using the RS422 port on the side. I have purchased a usb to 422 adapter cable, but it turns out that Rs422 does not have a common standard for pinouts so I am trying to make educated guess on how the configuration could be. Does anyone remember controlling the NV using a serial connection, or better yet, have the optional cable from Nagra to do so? Knowing the pinouts of that cable would help alot. I was able to contact the maker of the onboard computer and the baud rate for remote control is 115.2k. Once I connect to the unit, I hope to activate the twin drive option using the NAVCOM software that another user has given me. Thanks!

ok thanks anyway

LuisT, sorry, I don't remember - that was a while ago, and I no longer have the van (doing less travel work). I think there was a hooklock (don't remember the brand name) on the sliding side door, and deadbolts on the others.

@DHB just out of curiosity, what locks are you using on your transit ? I found some Meroni locks but i find them too big. And not discrete enough Thanks

Hello all, long time lurker here. I think I have something some of you might find useful, and probably even improve upon. I mentioned my invoicing spreadsheet in an LA Sound Mixers' Facebook thread and some people asked for a template, so I thought I'd share it here as well. I've found that I prefer coding my own invoicing spreadsheet vs paying monthly for Wave, not only because it's free but also because it allows more flexibility to set things up just the way you like them, and you get to learn a new skill in the process. The only drawback for me is a lack of mobile-friendliness, when I want to create an estimate/invoice from my phone. I may eventually try to create a Google Form to remedy that. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1A4wIg7JH38Z5nETimZLsTQAdYlLiUuOOqW7Sfih7kK4/edit?usp=sharing This is my sound mixing business spreadsheet template. It does the following: - formats data into a readable pdf and e-mails that pdf to a client - backs up every invoice as a pdf and editable google sheet - records invoice history on a spreadsheet tab - records inventory on a tab - calculates pertinent business info like gross and net income for the year, total from unpaid invoices, etc. It's a work in progress that I never intended to share, but since people requested it, I've formatted it into a template that can be used. You'll need a Google account to use it. First, open the Google Sheet and select File > Make a Copy. Name it whatever you want and save it wherever you want, but note that the spreadsheet will create an "invoices" folder wherever you decide to save the Google Sheet on your Google Drive. Close the original spreadsheet and begin to use the copy as your own personal spreadsheet. Second you'll have to tweak the template to suit your needs. Adjust the InvoiceProducts tab to reflect your labor and gear rates. Also adjust the email_subject in the InvoiceData tab and change [your name] to your name. You may also want to update the invoice_number to match your current software's next invoice number. Here's how to write an invoice. I suggest creating yourself as a customer first, to test it out: 1) add customer 2) fill out the InvoiceData tab 3) fill out the InvoiceProducts tab's quantity and days for each item you want to charge for. 4) proofread InvoicePreview tab 5) if the invoice looks good, at the top of Google Sheets, click 'Invoice' in the menu, then select 'E-mail PDF' to send the invoice to the customer. There will be a pop-up asking you to authorize the script to run. Allow it. 6) After the script has finished, see your invoice listed in the InvoiceList tab. Come back here to record payments by adding the date they were paid, using MM/DD/YYYY format. If an invoice goes past its due date with no payment recorded, the row will turn red. A link to each invoice's PDF will be accessible from the URL column. Both the PDF and a backup of the invoice's Google Sheet can be found in your google drive invoices folder. When adding inventory to the Inventory tab, include the purchase date. The 'At a Glance' tab will use this information to track inventory costs when calculating net income. Let me know if any of these instructions are unclear or if you have any suggestions. I'd love to hear what other people do with their invoicing software so I can consider adapting others' ideas!

In belgium when shooting drama we usually load the sound equipment with the camera truck. We divide the shelves on a smart way and make everything accessible for everybody. Like this i don't have to drive it, it stays on safe areas at night and on weekends. And it's properly insured in within of the camera truck. It's usually much bigger than a van. And has a lift so very easy to unload carts. If you can have your own truck/van, why not but you'll have to drive it, ask location department a place for it, be sure it's safe and that your gear is insured in the truck as well as on set work. Some like this : https://www.tsf.fr/categorie-produit/vehicules-techniques/ (24 or 27m3)

In the UK; Ford Transit, or similar, with side-opening door and rear doors. "..One brilliant idea I had was to rent a welfare crew van —big enough to fit 6 people.." would those other five all want to travel together with you every time? Don't any of them have their own transport, or be willing to share own transport? Your job is getting the gear there safely, easily loaded and unloaded; not staff welfare. You're the sound man, not the coffee man. Fill with large plastic 18" to 2 foot high bins with lids - clearly marked - to stow relevant kit: mics, heavy cables, lightweight cables, lightweight short cables, batteries, chargers, recorder(s), headphones, etc. Strap or wedge bins so that NOTHING slides around, ever. No windows. Loud vehicle alarm - interior as well as exterior sensors. Visible steering lock. Discreet external sign "No fruit or veg left in this vehicle overnight". Extra secure discreet locks. Massive insurance. (If petrol ['gas'] and has an easily accessible distributor cap, always remove the rotor arm when parked.)

I hear that.Sometimes I miss portland oregon as well. But I remember when I first moved the my neumann failed and started motorboating. mkh416 was the cure. Does Schoeps still fail from humidity?

I like the rain and hate the heat. Don’t think that would work out well 😉

From NoiseAssist Plugin User Guide:

I have used mine now on one day on a beach and a street walk and talk scene. Lots of Steadycam moving backwards walk'n talk. A very useful tool with some weird / to be improved aspects. I used it with my internally cabled, strongly counter-weighted and shrink tube coated 5100 QP. - I can reach the T-handle myself, when the arm is hooked in the vest or with the boom inside the hook in the equivalent low position, but not when it is completely down and not when I am wearing lots of layers of clothes and my winter jacket. - Load adjustment by the handle is roughly necessary, but not really that intensive to operate. You don't have to adjust it every time you lengthen/shorten the boom up to maybe half a meter. Load balance is (so far) fine tuned by the distance of the pulling hand to the hook. - Moving the boom back and forth during take is a bit limited and it is strange why the lower arm hinge is designed that way. - Adjusting the boom in the hook back and forth before take without lifting is possible if the hooks wheels are in a skewed position and the boom is turned. - The packing volume is rather annoying. I'll defeat that by disassembling the arm pipe from the lower arm assembly, looking out for some knurled screws. - The upper profile assembly has a "nose" that appears to be designed on purpose. It likely hits the hooks swivel when moving the arm down somewhere midway. That makes a significant sound that the arm resonates. I consider this a significant design flaw. I will try to defeat this with some cushioning tape, but why that nose exists in the first place puzzles me. The upper profile assembly pictured in the spare parts catalog does not show that nose. -The hook does the job somehow, but there is quite some room for improvements. Rolling O rings as wheels or omni- or mecanum wheels in twin configuration come to mind. - The system has big open metal parts that are prone to scratches and can hit other things or humans producing damage, injuries or even worse, making sound 😉. I will likely fit some fabric shrink tubing on the arm and possibly 3D print a TPU cover for the hook.

Whatever you choose, for me there is but one rule: shelves and ratchet straps. Even if you have the luxury of a your own sound vehicule make sure you have appropriate shelvings. Appart from whatever is on wheel (sound cart, assistant cart, etc) for me every case must have its space on a shelve and there must be space to access it quicly, meaning the floor must be free. And you must be able to tight everything securely and fast (hence ratchet starps). Any other solution involve time waste and/or risk.

Note that the original post is asking about how to handle the MTP61 files (not any other data). The MTP61 does not allow physical card extraction so one has to transfer the files to a card via mag to usb cable or the LBC61. I would avoid as much as possible to hand over the MTP61 to the data wrangler or DIT. So I have to do the transfer. So far for files recorded occasionally on an rx (mostly MTP60) I have done like Fieldsound. I back up at the end of the shoot and deliver to post on FTP with all additional sounds I have recorded off set or when I managed to get booked additional days for ambient recording. It allows me to organise the files as I want including renaming. But I never had to record on tx on a regular basis or as a main recorder. That would be another discussion I guess. And probably involve OT yes. The few times I recorded fx or specific sounds on tx during set was on MTP60 so I was able to hand over the card to DIT. “Recover” do you mean when there is a file missing or corrupt? I use “disk drill “ for that. Otherwise the basic transfer does not require specific software since files are already wav and the mtp61 is seen as an external drive by the computer. You can use Teracopy on PC if you want checksum verification. I use wave agent for renaming files if needed after backup.

Or you can move to the desert 🙂

Chiropractors will get a lot of work from this.

I rarely have to pull cards from my zax wireless, but when I choose to I have no problem popping it into my laptop and converting it into a wav file, naming the roll correctly and handing that off to the DIT. I’m not managing their delivery drives etc, but since I have to convert it from a proprietary format, I consider that step to be part of my job. I just sit at my cart and do it as the first part of my wrap as my team works on wrapping the rest. I don’t ask for permission, I just get it done, and my wrap is done when I’m off the truck.